Play to Win: How Women are Breaking Barriers in ESports

A growing number of women are paving their way in the male-dominated world of electronic sports. Female leaders in the business of eSports share how women are rewriting the rules of the game.

Play to Win: How Women are Breaking Barriers in ESports

May 9th, 2019

Author: Amelia Corwin

Esports have exploded in popularity among a global audience of people who are typically male and millennial. By 2022, eSports is expected to reach nearly 300 million viewers and the industry’s total monetization will expand to an estimated $3 billion, according to a report by Goldman Sachs.

Leaders in The FQ Lounge share how women are leveling the playing field in Esports

There may be many reasons for the shift, such as the physical barriers to entry that exist in traditional athletic sports (i.e., speed, strength, and size) don’t matter in eSports. And, with the rise of digital technologies like video streaming and mobile gaming platforms, eSports are becoming even more accessible.

Still, the professional eSports industry and gaming community remain predominantly male at every level. At the FQ Lounge @ Tribeca Film Festival, female leaders dispelled the widespread myth that the eSports industry doesn’t appeal to women—and how to get more women into the business. Read the highlights below.

Rewrite the Job Description

To help attract more women into male-dominated fields, it’s important to re-think the language you’re using in the job descriptions. “I take the word ‘Esports’ out of a lot of the recruiting language [in our job descriptions] because women actually self-select out. A lot of women say, ‘I’m not a gamer and, therefore, I can’t do this,’” says Yvette Martinez-Rea, CEO North American, ESL.

Technology Can Level the Playing Field

Money and physical ability aren’t barriers to participating in e-sports, which makes it accessible for a wide range of people. “Who can afford a gaming rig anyways? But everyone has a cellphone and that’s more powerful,” says Shiz Suzuki, AVP, Sponsorship and Experiential Marketing, AT&T.

Build Your Brand

In the virtual world of gaming, you can create a personal brand that stands out. “Technology can help in the beginning stages of building your brand,” says Gaylen Malone, Senior General Manager, Cloud9. “Physical capabilities don’t matter. It’s mental and how much work you put in, so there’s a lot of potential for females to succeed in this space.”

We Need Women Creators

In order for eSports to be inclusive—and reach the largest number of consumers—women need to be part of the creation process and the business. “Having a female perspective is important for our overall brand and specific voice,” says Eunice Chen, VP of Marketing, Cloud9. “We need more women building behind the scenes so we can have a more diverse external voice.”

We’re Better Together

“One of the realities that is stopping women from playing is that female players hit a ceiling in competitiveness when trying to be professionals, because men don’t invite them to practice with them,” says Yvette. “Women practice with women. Men practice with men. Women can only get as good as the other women who are playing.”

Competitive video game playing is only going to get bigger. The opportunities that eSports provide have the potential to advance diversity and inclusion. But first, we all have to make a commitment to equality.

For more on how women are breaking barriers in technology, sports, and gaming, check out: